Improvement in hoop-skirts



./Y Q4@ 4,54/ Far/fied @dif/564 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JULIUs WATERMAN, OE NEW YORK, AssIeNoE rro HIMsELE AND JOSEPH MAYEE, OE BROOKLYN, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN HOOP-SKIRTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 414,841, dated October 25, 1864.

To aZZ whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, J Unies-WATERMAN, of the city and State of New York, have invented, made, and applied to use a certain new and useful Improvement in Skeleton Skirts; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the said invention, reference being had to the annexed dra wings, making part ot' this specification, Werem- Figure lis an elevation of a portion of a skirt representing my improvement, and Fig. 2 is a section through the tape and clasp uniting the ends of the hoop.

Similar marks of reference denote the same parts.

Skirts have heretofore been made With clasps uniting the ends of the wires or springs forming the hoops. These clasps, being of metal, Wear out, soil, and injure the ladies7 under garments with which they come in contact, and Where the ends of the hoops are united by single clasps and the springs lapped but little the said clasp is liable to slip oli' the ends of the hoop.

The nature oit' my said invention consists in introducing the metal clasps that unite the ends of the hoops within the pockets or open* ings in the Woven skirt-tapes and securing said hoops to the tape by small clasps or spangles on each side of the clasps that hold the ends of the hoops together. By this construction ot' skirt the''ollowin g advantages are obtained: First, the meta-l clasps joining the ends of the hoops are entirely hidden from view; second, the woven tape being on each side of the clasp, the under-garments of a lady are kept from contact with and injury and soiling from the metal clasps; third, the ends of hoops cannot pull apart, because, the breadth of the tape being suicient to cover the clasp and receive the spangles, said spangles tie the ends eectually to the tape outside of the clasp, hence a much stronger skirt is obtained; fourth, there is no motion of the tape upon the clasp, or but very little, because it is securely affixed to the hoops, hence said tape is but little more exposed to wear from the clasp than from the ordinary hoop. These features conspire to render my skirt durable, cheap, and adapted to the Wear of ladies without detriment to their other clothing.

In the drawings, a a represent the ordinary hoops Or springs of a skirt near the ends, Where they are united together by a clasp, b, of any convenient or desired character. I have not represented the entire skirt, as that is unnecessary to the understanding of my invention, and I remark that the skirt itself may be ot' any size, shape, or construction.

Previous to uniting the ends of the hoops a by the clasps., b, said hoops are entered through the pockets or Openings through the skirt tape d, that is woven with the double thicknesses forming said pockets and With the single thicknesses at the parts between said pockets, as now usual. After the ends of the hoops have been united by the clasps the said tape is so placed as to cover said clasps, and the spangles or small clasps c are applied that connect the tapes permanently to the hoops. Y

All the clasps uniting the ends of the hoops may be in line with each other down the skirt, so as to be covered by one tape; or they may be alternated in their position, so as to be covered by any of the other tapes that run up and down the skirt. I

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. The introduction of the clasps that unite the ends of the skirt hoops or springs within the pockets formed in the Woven tape, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. The spang'les or small clasps introduced near the edges of the tape O11 each side of the clasp that holds the ends of the wires together, as and for the purposes specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my signature this 22d day of September, 1864.

JULIUS WATERMAN.

Witnesses:

Tiros. GEO. HAROLD, Guns. H. SMITH. 

